


Housewarming

by Rod



Series: Snapshots [4]
Category: The OC
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Future Fic, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-10
Updated: 2013-04-10
Packaged: 2017-12-08 01:21:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/755322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rod/pseuds/Rod
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ryan wanted a housewarming.  Ryan's getting a housewarming.  Ryan's beginning to regret he ever opened his big mouth.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Housewarming

Ryan looked around nervously, decided that no one was watching him right now, and sighed quietly. He should have known better, he really should. He'd been so proud when they'd finally moved into the house, a place of their very own, that the word "housewarming" had just slipped out. He'd been imagining something small, just having friends and family around for a few drinks, showing them round the house (not that Kirsten really needed to be shown round a place she'd designed herself), and generally relaxing.

A waiter hurried past him carrying trays of champagne glasses, making Ryan wince all over again at the extravagance of it all.

Newport Beach didn't do small. Ryan had known that for years, and yet he was still surprised when his little housewarming party turned into a major social event. Everywhere he turned there had been scribbled invitations lists, contact numbers for caterers that Seth had thoughtfully extracted from his mother, and notes stuck to the fridge saying things like "Julie and Jimmy under the same roof?" Even after all his years of adapting to Newport life, Ryan found himself instantly out of his depth.

He'd tried protesting, but it was a pretty token effort. He knew that he'd be outvoted, so he just made his feelings known and resigned himself to the inevitable. He'd even allowed himself to be talked into enjoying the idea in principle, infected by everyone else's enthusiasm. It was only now, a few minutes before the guests would start arriving, that the full horror of the situation was dawning on him.

"You really don't like parties, do you?"

Ryan looked up at Luke and grimaced. "I like parties," he said defensively.

Luke snorted. "Sure you do."

Ryan sighed again. "I do, it's just..." He gestured hopelessly at the controlled chaos surrounding them. "I still have a hard time thinking of this as a party. It feels more like a zoo."

"I thought you were over all that 'not good enough for here' stuff," Luke said angrily. "Damn it, Ryan, this of all places is your place, no matter what's going on. Tonight, everyone's going to be paying attention to you."

"That's kind of the problem," Ryan told him, squirming at the mere thought. "I don't have your confidence or Seth's enthusiasm. I can handle these things when I can just lurk around the place, but tonight? Being at the centre of attention has always been bad news for me. Uh, present company excepted."

Luke put a steadying hand on his shoulder. "You deserve better than that, you know. You've _earned_ better."

"How? I don't do anything that you don't do better. Seth's the brains, he's been in heaven just organising tonight. You can charm anyone out of anything, you were born for this. What do I contribute, apart from making us Newport's most alternative household?"

"You're our rock," Luke told him without hesitation. "You're the one who tells us right from wrong and gives us something to aim for. Without you, we'd just be putzing about, living pointless, stupid lives for as long as the trust funds held out."

"That and you look unbelievably hot in black tie," Seth said, wandering up behind Ryan and giving him a gentle hug. "So you'd better watch out tonight, the ladies won't be able to resist you and you know how jealous Captain Cool-hand here gets." He faltered slightly under Luke's long-suffering stare. "Right. Not helping."

"The point is, you belong. Here. You made all this happen," Luke said, indicating their precious house. "You brought us together, changed us for the better. You're the one that makes us proud."

Ryan grinned as his lovers hugged him again. He knew that he brooded too easily about this sort of thing, but Luke and Seth never stopped letting him know that he wasn't just a third wheel. "If anyone had said that to you when we first met, they'd still be picking their teeth out of the sand," he pointed out.

"Yeah, well. Hit me often enough and I learn."

"I like to do the learning bit without the pain," Seth announced.

"Wimp."

"And proud of it."

The door chime interrupted them. "Right," Luke said decisively, then paused a moment to adjust Seth and Ryan's ties. Once they were straightened to his satisfaction, he smiled and herded his lovers towards the door.

"Come on," he said, "it's time to make our guests insanely jealous."


End file.
